The north-eastern Australian state of Queensland (Qld) is famous for its tropical climate. Its capital city is Brisbane.
The Queensland flag was introduced in 1876. As with all Australian state flags the Union Jack appears in the top-left corner of the flag of Queensland. The symbol to the right of the Union Jack is Queensland’s state badge. It is made up of a Maltese Cross with a Royal Crown at its centre.
The Queensland Coat of Arms was the first Coat of Arms to be granted to a British Colony since Jamaica’s was granted in 1661. The Queensland Coat of Arms was granted in 1893, making it the oldest in Australia.
Pictured on the shield are symbols of industry and agriculture: a bull’s head, a ram’s head, a sheaf of wheat and a column of gold rising from quartz (to symbolise mining). Surrounding Queensland’s state badge above the shield are two stalks of sugar cane. Below the shield is the state motto Audax at Fidelis meaning ‘Bold but Faithful’. Supporting the shield is the Brolga and the Red Deer.
Queensland has three emblems: the faunal emblem, floral emblem and bird emblem.
The animal (faunal) emblem of Queensland has been the Koala since 1971. The name Koala comes from the Indigenous word meaning ‘no drink’ because the Koala gets most of its fluids from dew on leaves and by eating eucalyptus leaves.
The floral emblem of Queensland was named as the Cooktown Orchid in 1959. It is usually purple but other varieties are white.
In 1986, the bird emblem of Queensland was named as the Brolga. The Brolga is the only crane that is native to Australia. Brolgas can stand at one metre tall. During the mating season pairs of birds perform intricate dances to attract their partner.